1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to pneumatic tires for use on off-road vehicles and more particularly to improve pneumatic tires especially suitable for use on the front wheels of sand cars.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The sport of sand duning has grown rapidly in recent years, with a consequent increase in the demand for equipment used in the sport and for improved performance of the vehicles involved. For example, a complete line of tires has been developed for the two, three, and four-wheeled sand vehicles used in the sport. In the past, emphasis has been placed primarily on the development of tires for the rear, or driven wheels to provide increased traction in the loose sand where such vehicles are commonly driven. Less emphasis has been placed on tires for the front wheels of the typical four-wheel dune buggy or the increasingly popular sand rail vehicles (hereinafter collectively referred to as sand cars). Indeed, it has been the common practice to use tires designed for wheels of farm implements as the front tires of sand cars.
The front wheel tires of sand cars, whether of the farm implement type or tires especially designed for such vehicles, typically have relatively smooth or annularly grooved tread surfaces, or treads of the mohawk style having a single central annular raised lug and substantially smooth surfaces on each lateral side of the lug to minimize the amount of sand thrown up by the tires. This plume or roost of loose sand strikes the vehicle and erodes or damages the decoratively finished outer side panels of the vehicles as well as damaging the under surfaces. Also, and particularly for sand rail type vehicles, sand thrown inwardly by the front tires enters the open passenger compartment, striking the passengers and damaging the upholstery and other surfaces.
It is also known to employ completely smooth tread surfaces such as those of the Smoothie tire marketed by Sand Tires Unlimited. The smooth surfaces of such tires minimizes the amount of sand thrown by the front wheels and is gaining popularity among sand car enthusiasts even though such smooth surface tires may give slightly less lateral traction than, for example, a mohawk style tread. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved pneumatic tire for use on the front wheels of sand cars.
Another object is to provide such an improved pneumatic tire which provides maximum maneuverability of the vehicle while minimizing the amount of sand lifted or thrown up by the tire.
Another object is to provide such a pneumatic tire having an improved tread design in which the sand thrown by the tire is primarily expelled laterally from the sides of the vehicle rather than inwardly beneath the vehicle.